Drunk Shakespeare NYC: Off-Broadway Comedy & Cocktails

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.78 (693 reviews) 91% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/7

Duration1h 30m

GroupUp to 10

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

One Actor, Five Shots, and Shakespeare Goes Sideways

You watch five professional actors perform Shakespeare while one of them is drunk on five shots of whiskey, with four sober actors trying to keep the script alive. Ninety minutes, no intermission, craft cocktails included, at The Ruby Theatre in Midtown. 21+ with ID required.

1h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Attend Drunk Shakespeare show

Arrive at The Ruby Theatre
Watch Off-Broadway comedy show
See actors perform Shakespeare roles
Enjoy craft cocktails during show

The Experience

You walk into The Ruby Theatre on 39th Street and the energy hits you right away — the room is packed, the bar is moving, and there's this sense that nobody quite knows what's about to happen. That's the whole point. Five professional actors take the stage as members of The Drunk Shakespeare Society, and one of them has just downed five shots of whiskey. Then they attempt a major role in an actual Shakespearean play while the four sober actors do everything they can to keep the script from completely derailing. It's chaos on purpose, and it works because you never know which actor is going in, what they've been drinking, or how badly they're going to butcher the lines.

The ninety minutes run straight through with no intermission, which means you're locked in from start to finish. Craft cocktails are served throughout the show, so you're not just watching the mayhem — you're part of it, drink in hand, watching the sober actors scramble to save scenes that are already gone. Every performance is genuinely different. The drunk actor changes, the play changes sometimes, and the way the four others react to whatever's happening on stage keeps the whole thing from feeling rehearsed. You'll hear the same jokes from other people who went, but you won't see the same show.

The venue itself is tucked into Midtown, accessible by subway, and the whole space is built for this kind of intimate chaos — close enough to see the actors' faces when they realize they've lost the plot entirely. Fair warning: this is strictly 21 and up, and you'll need ID at the door. The special treat on arrival gets you settled, and then you're in for ninety minutes of professional actors doing their best to perform Shakespeare while one of them is genuinely impaired. It's not high art. It's not trying to be. It's funny because it's real-time and unrehearsable.

What’s included

Entry to the show at The Ruby Theatre, a special treat on arrival, and access to craft cocktails available for purchase throughout the ninety-minute performance with no intermission.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Brass Jar Productions

Is this one for you?Right for a night out in New York if you want live comedy that's genuinely unpredictable and don't mind the chaos of watching professional actors improvise their way through Shakespeare. The 21+ age requirement and ID check are non-negotiable, so plan accordingly.